Automatic air-brake.



No, 764,142. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. H. MoGLEARY.

/ AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE. APPLICATION rlLnnnov. 21, 1903.

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(lawmaker a dear Q No. 764,142. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904 H. McGLEARY. I AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1903. N0. MODEL.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

No. 764,142. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

- H. MOGLEARY. AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL. I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 764,142. v PATENTBD JULY 5,1904.

H. MQGLEARY.

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL. g 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

@110 pump Patented July 5, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MoCLEARY, or SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE.

SPEGIFIGA TION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,,142, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed November 21,1903. Serial No. 182,133. (No model.)

To all whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY MoCLEARY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort San Christobal, San Juan, Porto Rico, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Air-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a brake construction and air-brake system for operating same that may be applied to street-cars or freight or passenger railway-cars.

The objects of my device are to provide a brake mechanism attachable to a car-axle, thereby saving wear and tear on the wheels, the brake-shoe in my device not working on the tire of the wheel, as is usual, but against the axle attachment; to provide means whereby the rotation of an axle on each car will supply the compressed air necessary to operate the brakes on said car; to provide means whereby the brakes may be applied on-a single car from a point on said car, thereby enabling the air-brakes to be operated on a car when the said car is detached from other cars; and means whereby the air-brake system of each car may be coupled to that of other cars and the brakes applied to all the cars from any one car or from the engine, and means for applying the brakes automatically in event of the breaking of a coupling.

Other objects of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description of the parts.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view'of a car, showing in outline elevation my air-brake system and brake mechanism attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view of the underside of a car having my air-brake system applied thereto. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the bottom of a car adjacent one end of the car, portions of my device being shown partly in diagram and partly in section. Fig. i is a detail elevation, partly in section, showing the caraxle, eccentric, and air-compressing mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the sectional eccentric detached from the axle.

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6 6 of Fig.

4:. Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, showing the brake wheel, brakeshoes, and the means of applying the shoes to the wheel. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the brake-shoes and supporting-band, the shoe being in longitudinal section. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is adetail elevation illustrating the parts of my device arranged at the ends of a car. Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the car-bumper and a bushing arranged therein, an automatic locking appliance being shown in position in elevation.

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13 13 of Fig. 11, the pipes being broken off. Fig. 1 1 is a section on the line 14 14 of Fig. 12, showing the bushing detached from the bumper. Fig. 15 is a plan view of a coupling device. Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing parts of the coupling device detached. Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of pipes at the end of a car.

It will be understood that the arrangement of pipes and valves in the drawings isdia grammatic and may be arranged in any manner most convenient.

For illustrative purposes the apparatus is shown as applied to a freight-car A. Arranged on each axle of this car is a sectional flanged disk 'B, recessed on itsinner face to fit over the axle, the disks being held together by a plurality of bolts passing through the flanges. Above these disks, which form the brake-wheels, is suspended from the bottom of the car a cylinder 0. A piston C works in this cylinder and has a downwardly-extending piston-rod G which projects through a suitable stufling-box. Adjacent the cylinder is arranged a depending bracket D, in which is fulcrumed at the lower bifurcated end of the bracketalever D. This lever is slotted at 1) adjacent the end farthest from the fulcrum-' point, forming a link, one member of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of the piston-rod,which slidesthe length of said slot. A band E is secured at one end to al'b'racket arranged on the under side of the bottom of the car, being pivoted to said bracket, and this band is carried around the brake-wheel and fastened to the shorter arm of the lever D. Three brake-shoes having curved faces adapted to engage the periphery of the brakewheel are secured on the inner face of the band E. These brake-shoes E are longitudinally grooved on their outer faces, and the band E lies in these grooves, preventing lateral slipping of the shoes. These shoes are secured to the band by wedge-shaped bolts which stop slightly short of the inner wearing-faces of the shoes, and as the shoes wear down the bolts will be wedged the tighter in their socketsinstead of becoming loose. They are held in position by suitable nuts. The three shoes are preferably arranged so that the central shoe will bear directly upward on the brake wheel, and this central shoe is slightly longer, and has consequently a greater bearing-surface, than the two side shoes. A coiled spring C is arranged in the cylinder C around the piston-rod C and bears downward on the lower end of the cylinder and upward against the piston, and it is obvious that the tendency of this spring is to raise the piston and throw the brake-shoes away from the brake-wheel. The means for forcing the piston downward will be described in connection with the system of air-pipes.

Upon one axle of the car is mounted an eccentric, which is formed in sections F, each section having on its inner face a plate F, ex-

tending laterally beyond the body portion of the section, the plate or flange F being preferably formed integral with the section F to which it belongs and the two plates being connected by bolts, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner faces of the sections are eccentrically recessed to fit over the axle, as most clearly shown inFig. 5. This eccentric is keyed to the axle, as shown at F. The object of forming the eccentric in sections is to permit its adaptation to the car-axles now in use; but, if desired, it can be formed on the axle. Astrap G of the usual construction is arranged on this eccentric. Secured to the bottom of the car above the eccentric is an air-compressor comprising a cylinderH and a piston H. A piston-rod H working downward through a suitable stufling-box, is pivotally connected to the eccentric-strap G, as shown in Fig. 4. An intake-pipe H separates into two branches, one of which communicates with the upper portion of the cylinder and the other with the lower portion, and a check-valve H is arranged in eachbranch. The outer end of this pipe is surrounded by a suitable screened hood H adapted to prevent dirt being drawn. into the intake-pipe. .A pipe J leads. from the upper portion of the cylinder H to a suitable storage-tank K, and the pipe J has a branch J extending to the lower portion of the cylinder.

. terior shoulders L pipes J and J adjacent the point of their com- I.

munication with the cylinder. The operation of this part of the apparatus will be readily understood. The piston-rod is reciprocated by the eccentric and strap continuously while the axle is turning, and the piston compresses the air drawn into the cylinder and alternately forces it to the storage-tank through the pipes J and. J, and the storage-tank is provided with a safety-valve K, set to blow off at a predetermined limit of pressure in the tank K.

A storage-tank and a compression-cylinder are provided on each car, and each car therefore provides its own compressed air for operating the brakes on said car, and the brakes can consequentlybe set by air-pressure when the car is detached from a train-as, for example, when a car is shunted to a siding. At the same time it is most convenient to couple the various independent systems carried by each car together when the cars are coupled and provide means whereby the brakes on all the cars can be set from either the engine or from any particular car, and it is also desirable to provide means to automatically set the brakes on both sections when a train breaksas, for example, in ascending a steep grade. To provide these means, I arrange certain devices at each end of a car, and the description of one set of these devices will be sufficient. -To the rear of the car-bumper L is arranged a cylinder L, flattened on its upper side and secured to the bottom of the car. This cylinder is formed with longitudinal in- Three apertured bosses are formed on each side of the cylinder, those on one side alining with those on the opposite side, and in each of these apertures is secured an end of one of the pipes of the air system.

Slidably secured in this cylinder is a grooved plug L, the shoulders Ufitting in the grooves and preventing rotatory movement of the plug. This plug has three transverse bores a, 6, and 0, unequally spaced apart and so arranged that two of them simultaneously aline with the pipes connected to the cylinder. When the plunger is in its rearmost position, the bores a and b are in alinement, respectively, with the main train-pipe and with the brake-cylinder pipe and the bore 0 does not register with the third pipe, which is abranch of the main trainpipe. While the plunger is in this position the main train-pipe M and the brake-cylinder pipe 0 are in communication on each side of the cylinder and can be connected, as will be hereinafter described, to similar pipes on an adjoining car or to the engine.

The grooved plug or plunger L has a plunger-rod connected thereto, and this rod L works through a bushing L arranged transversely in the bumper L. This bushing. has a cylindrical bore communlcat ngwith a rcc,

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tangular slot formed above thebore, and the portion of the rod L adapted to slide in and extend beyond the bushing is formed with rack-teeth L, the teeth resting and sliding in the said slot. Between the bushing and the cylinder a collar is arranged on the rod L, as at L, which collar limits forward movement of the rod, thus preventing undue strain on the forward cylinder-head. To hold the plunger in its rearward and normal position when the car is coupled to another car, a coiled spring L is arranged around the plunger-rod in the forward part of the cylinder and bears at one end against the forward cylinder-head and at the opposite end against the plunger. To hold the plunger in a forward position against the tension of this spring, a verticallymovable spring-pressed pawl is carried in suitable brackets on the front of the bumper and is adapted to engage the teeth formed on the forward portion of'the rod L as shown at L. These teetharebeveled, so as to permit outward movement of the rod, but to engage the pawl L and prevent inward movement of the rod and plunger until the pawl has been lifted out of engagement with the teeth.

At the end of the car there is arranged in the train-pipe M a valve M, and beyond this valve is arranged a flexible-hose connection N, adapted to be coupled with a similar hoseon another car or on an engine-tender. A similar cut-off valve O is arranged in the brakepipe and a flexible hose P is connected thereto. Connected by a universal joint to the train-pipe M is a supplemental reserve hose N, having also a cut-off valve, and to the brake-cylinder pipe is connected a similar reserve hose P, having a cut-off valve therein. These reserve pipeshave their ends caught up in a link N carried-by the respective'pipes. Should a train break and the hose connections N and P be damaged, the car can again be connected to the systems of the other cars by means of thesesupplemental hose, and it is of course understood. that the valves in these hose connections are always turned to a cutoif.,except when the car is in communication through said hose with the compressed-air pipes of another car.

Now it will be obvious that if the car was connected to another car and the train broke, and consequently broke the connecting-hose, the compressed air would escape from the storage-tank as rapidly as compressed. To automatically cut ofi the air from the portion of the pipes M and O to which the connecting hose portions N and P are connected is the main function of the plunger L with the added function of .throwing the main trainpipe into connection with the brake-cylinder pipe. To accomplish this, the plunger-rods L of the adjoining car are connected by acoupling adapted'to pull apart under a severe strain, but to first draw out the plungers on both cars totheir most forward position, in which position they are locked by the pawls. This coupling is shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16 and consists of a straight bar having a ring at one end and a perforated bifurcated portion at the opposite end. This bar Q has formed intermediate its ends laterally-extending arms Q, arranged on opposite sidesof the bar, each arm being perforated adjacent its end. Be'

posite the arm Q and a suitable nut working on the threaded end of this rodR not only servesto hold it in place, butalso permits adjustment of the lever R togthe desired angle with the bar Q. Abar Sis slidably held in the perforation and eye of the arms Q and Q and between thetwo arms carries a coiled spring which bears at one end on the arm Q and at the opposite end on a lug S. At its forward end the bar S carries an integral curved plate S formed similar to a brake-shoe, which bears against the free end of the lever B, and;

the lever is normally held, substantially'ataright angle to the bar Q. The coacting member of this coupling is carried by the other;

car and is connected by a link to the plungerrodof the said car. a coupling formed exactly like the one just described, and when coupled together the two members are arranged at right angles to each other, the lever B of one being passed in the frame formed by the other, as shown in Fig.1v 15. -When the car-coupling breaks or pulls This coacting member is loose, the cars are held together momentarily by these plunger-couplers, and the strain draws out the plungerrods L .to their extreme limit. The coupling members then have the entire weightof the train thrown on them and the levers R areno longer held against the shoes S The spring R on the bar R is compressed and the lever forced at such an angle to the bar Q that thetwo frames or coupling members will pull apart without dam: age to either one. In the meantime the plungers have been brought and lockedintotheir forward positions and the bores a-and I) will be out of register with the train and brakecylinder pipes and the bore 0 will register .with the third pipe havingcommunication with the opposite sides 'of the cylinder L, which pipe, as shown in Fig. 3, gives communicationbetween the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder pipe, and the airbeing cut off by the plunger from the extreme ends of both these pipes the compressed air from the storage tank instead of escaping; through the broken hose connections is directed to the brake-cylinders and applies the brakes.

On a freight-car the main train-pipe M and the brake-cylinder pipe O are led to the top of the car up the end and are connected by a suitable coupling T, having a depending portion T. Three cocks are arranged here, 1, 2, and 3, the latter being on the portion T of the coupling T and 1 on the main train-pipe and 2 on the brake-cylinder pipe. The gage T is arranged at any convenient place on the car end and is connected to the main trainpipe. On street-cars these cocks and the gage would be arranged on the car-platforms, and they may be arranged at any convenient point in a passenger, mail, or smoking car. To apply the brakes,cocks 1 and 2 are opened, 3 being closed. This gives direct communication to ,the brake-cylinder pipe from the main train-pipe and the brakes will be applied by the air entering the brake-cylinders. Should the car be coupled to another car, the brakes will be applied on the second car also, the air passing through the pipe P. To take the brakes ofhcock 1 is turned off and 3 is opened, permitting the air to escape from the cylinders and pipe 0 through the depending por-' tion T of the coupling T.

There is no communication from the storage-tanks and the brake-cylinder pipe except through the main train-pipe M.

Under the present system of hand-wheels the brakes are set successively on different cars, the brakeman passing from one car to the other. Time islost in setting each brake, and when set it operates only on the car to which the brake-wheel is attached. With my device it is only necessary to open the two cocks 1 and 2, or cock 1 only if 2 is already open, and the brakes will be applied on all cars coupled up by the pipes P. As the brakeman then turns additional cocks on other cars increased pressure is brought to bear on the brakes all along the train. In descending a slight grade a comparatively light application of all the brakes by opening the cocks on one car is as beneficial as a tight setting of the brake and perhaps sliding of the wheel, and consequent injury thereto, on one car only.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a car, of a brakeshoe adapted to engage a wheel, an eccentric arranged on an axle of the car, an air-compressor adapted to be operated by rotation of said eccentric, a storage-tank, a brake-cylinder, a piston in the brake-cylinder adapted to air into the brake-cylinder in event of the breaking of the car-coupling.

2. The combination with a car, an air-brake system comprising a brake-shoe, a brake-cylinder secured to the car and arranged adjacent said shoe, a storage-tank carried by the car, means operable by rotation of the car-axle adapted to compress air into said tank, a main train-pipe, a brake-cylinder pipe, means for connecting thepipes of one car with those of another, and means arranged at each end of a car adapted to automatically cut off the flow of air through the end portions of the train and brake pipes when the cars are separated and for simultaneously opening communication between the train and brake-cylinder pipes.

3. In an air-brake system,an air-compressor operable from a car-aXle,storage-tanks, brakecylinders, a main train-pipe leading from the storage-tank, a brake-cylinder pipe leading to the brake-cylinders, a coupling connecting the main and brake cylinders, a dischargecock carried by said coupling adapted to Vent the pipes, and a cut-off cock arranged on each side of the discharge-cock, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with a car, of an aircompressor operable from the car-axle, storage-tanks, brake-cylinders, a main train-pipe, a brake-cylinder pipe, flexible pipes adapted to couple the pipes of one car to those of another, a branch of the main train-pipe and a branch of the brake-cylinder pipe extending upward at an end of the car, a coupling connecting the two pipes, and cut-off cocks carried by the main train and brake-cylinder pipes, respectively, on each side of the discharge-cock.

5. An air-brake system comprising a cylinder having side apertures, main and brake cylinder pipes alining with said apertures, a plunger in the cylinder having transverse bores adapted to aline with the side apertures of the cylinder and to effect communication between the main train-pipe and the brakecylinder pipe when drawn to the forward end of the cylinder, a plunger-rod connected thereto having rack-teeth formed thereon, a spring adapted to hold the plunger in the rear portion of the cylinder under normal conditions, means for drawing the plunger forward when a car-coupling breaks, and a spring-pressed pawl adapted to engage the rack-teeth on the rod and hold the plunger in its forward position against the tension of the spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with an air-brake system, a cylinder arranged adjacent the end of a car, a main train-pipe communicating with said cylinder on each side, a brake-cylinder pipe communicating with each side of the cylinder, a branch pipe leading from the trainpipe to the brake-cylinder pipe said branch communicating With each side of the cylinder, a spring-pressed plunger having transverse bores, two of said bores being adapted to aline with the train and brake-cylinder pipes, respectively; when the plunger is at one end of the cylinder and one of said bores being adapted to aline with the -branch pipe when the plunger is at the opposite end of the cylinder,and means for automatically moving said plunger for the purpose set forth.

7 HARRY MOCLEARY.

Witnesses:

PETER MEURER, J OHN (3. QONROY. 

